Ortega says Nicaragua will no longer hold elections

Speaking at celebrations marking the anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution, Ortega dismissed the prospect of future elections and criticized the United States.

"There won't be anymore elections," Ortega said.

"Parties put in place by the Yankees, put in place by the Somoza regime, coming back to power, that story is over."

"Never, never, never," he added.

The announcement follows constitutional changes approved earlier this year by Nicaragua's government-controlled National Assembly, extending the presidential term from five to six years.

Ortega first came to power after the 1979 Sandinista Revolution and returned to the presidency in 2007. Since then, he has overseen constitutional reforms that expanded executive powers and strengthened his control over state institutions.

The latest declaration drew condemnation from opposition figures and human rights advocates, who said it marked the end of electoral competition in the Central American country.

Juan Sebastián Chamorro, a former presidential candidate released from prison in 2023, said the move confirmed the government's intention to concentrate power under the ruling Sandinista party.

According to rights groups, at least 46 people remain imprisoned in Nicaragua on political grounds, while thousands of civil society organizations have been shut down since 2018. The Nicaraguan government denies holding political prisoners.

The United Nations has also expressed concern over recent measures affecting the country's legal profession and broader restrictions on civil society.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Peru's National Jury of Elections (JNE) had declared right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori the winner of the country's presidential election.